Information Officers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) press officers, (b) internal communications officers, (c) external communications officers, (d) communications strategy officers and (e) other personnel with a communications remit were employed by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) each other non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry: Communicators are employed across Defence and the armed forces. They have an important task in explaining to the public, the media, our own people and other audiences—at the local regional, national and international levels—the role of Defence, Defence activities, capabilities and operations. Over the last several years, substantial savings have been made across the communications area, and further efficiencies will continue to be made.
	The latest figures for the numbers involved in communications roles as at 31 March 2013 are shown in the following table, and include all posts for which over 50% of the post’s core duties are communications. These figures include both military and civilian posts worldwide. In the 2013 exercise communications staff in non-departmental public bodies were not surveyed. As such, this data was requested separately.
	Also shown are the figures for 31 March 2010, demonstrating a reduction of 12% (over 160 posts) in this time.
	
		
			  2010 data Current data 
			  MOD/armed forces Trading funds1 Non-departmental public bodies MOD/armed forces Trading funds Non-departmental public bodies 
			 Press officers 112 8 1 97 2 1 
			 Internal communications officers 52 8 0 33 6 0 
			 External communications officers 365 26 0 265 4 6 
			 communications strategy officers 67 2.5 0 50 0 0 
			 Others 101 7 3 116 9 2 
			 1 Includes 27 full-time posts in the Met Office which has since transferred to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.